@scubadada Boy you guys are getting ripped off on prices. A quick check on my online sites shows a $212 difference between a Eon Steel with Transmitter and a Petral 2
So lets talk about conservatism, remembering this is in the beginners section and that this thread was intended for recreational.
Most divers (in the world not those on Scuba board) Use AL 80 cylinders. With this in mind even on a conservative computer the limiting factor on deeper dives will be the gas rather than the NDL. Most dive guides on LOB use these conservative computers, diving 3-4 times a day 6 days a week, they don't hit problems, as they dive to their guests limits (normally gas)
Moving on from this, I recently planned and carried out a 30m dive intending to invoke deco as part of an assessment. The tables (BSAC) planned a 34min dive on EAN32 to 30m, with 2 x 1 min stops. Okay so far. My computer on its mid conservatism ended up giving me 6 mins Deco (4 mins more)
Am I worried, no. Firstly 4 mins is nothing, but more than that the tables were drawn up using 20 year old fit Royal Navy seaman - whereas I'm a 50 yr old slightly unfit person. So I'm happy for the extra.
I'm sure a ton of people love the more technical computers where they can fiddle with Gradient factors. But do they really understand them? Or (as I suspect of a majority), are they inputting GF that they read is the latest fashion on SB, what their mate suggested etc etc. Do they us the same settings on each dive? of do they adjust them if they had a beer the nigh t before or not great sleep?
In the last 2 years I've witnessed 2 people get bent. They were both doing simple rec diving
#1 Diver on 1st dive of day, previous day was 1 dive as a check dive to 10m. Diver went to a max of 22m kept well within his NDL (on a Suunto) and surfaced after 45-50 mins. Diver got a bend. Took a over night ride in the chamber Contributing factor was being overweight, and dehydrated.
#2 Dive on second day of LOB. Easy diving again on a Suunto. 3rd dive of day 2 came up being ill went on O2 and got evacuated on advice of Dan took a chamber ride. Contributing factors - recovering from a virus before holiday & dehydration
Diver 1 was really unfortunate as he hadn't read the fine print of his cheapo dive insurance that came with his travel insurance. it only covered him to 18m. This guy had over 600 dives and was part way through his PADI IDC. His bill was $20,000
Diver 2 had DAN, but even after that he wasn't allowed to dive until he'd been certified fit by a dive doctor, which meant he lost the rest f his trip (possibly got an insurance refund but that doesn't make up for the loss of the experience)
My point being, is that people get uptight about entry level computers being "conservative" They may not be suitable if you're on large tanks going deep, but for the average diver they are just fine. You can still get a chamber ride staying withing the limits of a conservative computer by doing silly things like not hydrating and diving while not 100%
Better to start with a conservation computer until you get more experience and better understanding of what you are doing is my advice to all newer divers